Note: Damn, this has been done for a while on AO3...I update faster there than I do here, but y'all knew that, right?

-end note-


Summer 16

I shoveled the last bite of fried potato and ham into my mouth before guzzling the remainder of my apple juice. I sighed, glancing at the clock to twenty minutes til noon. I had dad's class today and I was not looking forward to it. I was only looking forward to seeing Clara today if I do see her today. She's been looking worse with each passing day to where I was starting to worry.

I stood from my seat at the dining table, stretching my arms above my head. I headed towards the front door, grabbing my tote from the floor.

"Later, grandpa." I said with a bored sigh causing the pen I heard scribbling from his office to come to a halt.

"Take care, Leonel! I'll see you later." I closed the door, seeing the side portrait of Orland and Leann walking next to each other on the path to Cherry Blossom Square. I could see that they were conversing about something, I wonder what. Not that it was any of my business, but I really hope that they'll confess to each other soon.

I remember that Clara used to have a crush on Orland; that was another reason for my jealousy towards Orland. He was handsome, tall, and actually looked like a guy! I felt my face heat up, I was the shortest guy at our school, but at least I was taller than Clara, who was the shortest of our school. However, I shouldn't have to worry about her liking Orland anymore, right? I know that she never made any advances because she knew that Leann liked Orland too. Clara seemed to have sacrificed a lot for her cousin.

I sighed and smiled to myself, I shouldn't get so worked up over that anymore! Clara loves me! The kisses and love we made on my birthday were proof of that! I just hope that nothing super stressful happens today, I'd really like to talk to her alone and ask if she wants to be official.

I looked up ahead at the academy building; Leann and Orland were already going through the doors as Roy, Cammy, and the twins were rushing down the stairs. I darted my eyes slightly to the right to see Clara walking from the path that led to the farmhouse. At least she'd be at school today! However, she looked a little different; it looked like she had gained some weight. That didn't make her less beautiful though! Plus Clara has a high metabolism, she'll lose the weight in no time at all! She's probably going through some things that are making her stressed. I've probably gained a few pounds myself too from the stress I've put on myself.

I walked into the classroom, taking my seat in front next to Clara. Dad gave his head an upward nod.

"Glad you could join us, Leonel." he began as I felt my face flush. He made it seem like the class had been waiting for me for hours! I wasn't even late! In fact, I'm slightly early! We have one more minute until noon!

"Let's start the next part of our blacksmith lesson! You'll be learning how to finish your metalwork with decorative embellishments!" Well, at least this seemed like a fun lesson.


"So, using melted gold to embellish…uh…" Dad stopped his lecture, as he turned to face us. His eyebrows were furrowed in a confused way. I could hear that someone was trying to hold back laughter. I looked over at Clara who was looking behind me as I turned my attention towards Orland. He was blushing madly, covering his mouth to hold back his laughter, with tears rolling down his cheeks.

"W-what's so fun-?" I couldn't get the rest of my question out due to Orland's burst of laughter.

"Stop! I'm at school!" He exclaimed in a pleading way while still laughing, pounding his fist on his desk a few times. Is he possessed? Should we get an exorcist? This isn't normal! Orland's not even capable of laughing!

"What did the Sylphs say to you?" Leann asked with her brows furrowed as Orland shook his head.

"I can't tell you." He said, his eyes looked at me and Clara as I felt a wave of discomfort overtake me. "At least not yet."

Why the hell did he look at us like that? Maybe he really is possessed!

"Sorry, sir. I'm done." Orland said with a sigh as dad blinked a couple of times.

"Uh, thanks for the show? As I was saying, you can use melted gold…" I felt my mind starting to drift in worry to where I couldn't focus on the lesson. The face Orland made kind of weirded me out and I couldn't understand why.


The bell for the end of the school day rang while the four of us gathered our supplies while venturing out of the academy. I took the first step in the schoolyard as Leann's question caused me to halt and look behind me towards her.

"Should the four of us hang out today?" I noticed Orland was blushing lightly.

"Uh, sure! I can be free for a few hours." Orland said as Leann looked between Clara and me.

"Clara? Leonel?" She asked as we locked eyes with each other before looking back at Leann.

"Uh, I'm free until at least six." I said, Clara shrugged.

"I've got nothing else better to do." Leann squealed in delight.

"Great! The four of us haven't hung out in a while!" Leann exclaimed. Hopefully, we won't hang out too long, I really want to ask Clara if she wants to be official!


The port was our chosen spot to hang out as we began discussing random topics. It was nice, just the four of us! The last time the four of us hung out was the day before Clara's birthday! Apparently, Ceci packed Leann too much food, so she offered her lunch to Clara, Orland, and me. However, I secretly think Leann asked Ceci to pack extra food so we could all have lunch together that day. It seems she missed the four of us being together, and of course, I'm not going to turn down free food either!

"Does anyone remember the last time we hung out like this?" Orland asked as Leann placed her hand on her chin in a thinking manner.

"Not counting the day Ceci packed too much in my lunch pail; I think we were still kids! But the last time I remember the four of us hanging out for several hours like today was when Clara passed out from exhaustion from studying for a test the night before." Leann said.

"Oh! I remember that!" I exclaimed, "I carried her home after that and my shirt was wet from her drool." I started laughing. Clara was super exhausted that day! Seeing her sleeping in my arms felt nice, but what made that day more memorable was;

"After I gave her to her dad, she shot up and immediately asked 'Which one of you pooped out the goblin in the bath?'!" I couldn't hold back my laughter. Thankfully, I heard Clara laughing along with me.

"Wait, what?" Orland asked while snickering.

"You never told us that part of the story!" Leann exclaimed, laughing slightly.

"You jerk." Clara said while laughing, pushing me into the water from the pier. I deserved that. The water was super chilly as I popped my head from underwater.

"Gah! Cold! Cold!" I felt something brushing against my thigh. "A-and I think a fish swam up my shorts!" I climbed back onto the pier, shaking my leg and the fabric of my shorts. A light plop was heard as the silvery, scaly creature swam away from us in fear. That was unpleasant, but what was more unpleasant was the fact that my head felt lighter.

"Oh, damn! I lost my hat too!" I started to feel the top of my head. Shit, this wasn't good. Now I look even more like a girl!

"Huh, you have really nice hair, Leonel." Orland said I felt my face flush. Was he making fun of me?

"You really do! I'm so jealous! I wish I had voluminous locks like that! Now I'm curious as to what you look like without your hats when your hair is dry!" Leann exclaimed.

"It is pretty thick. And you can see more of his curls without the hats." Clara said. I felt the heat rise to my face. I kinda forgot that my hat was knocked off when we were making love. Come to think of it, Clara was even playing with my hair. Leann's eyes sparkled.

"And it's so healthy looking too! What do you do, Leonel?" She asked.

"Ah, I-I don't really do much." I replied to her, I saw Orland's hand resting on his chin in a thinking manner.

"Maybe you should cut back on the hats." He suggested

"Ah! B-but if I don't wear a hat I look even more girly."

"Well, we're looking at you without a hat now and you look the same." Orland said while shrugging.

"One day! Just go without a hat for one day! I'm really curious as to what it looks like dry now!" Leann exclaimed, I sighed. Clara's already seen my girly hair, what difference does it make now?

"Fine. I'll come to school hatless tomorrow." Leann squealed in delight. She was way too excited about this.

"Anyway, it's getting late." Orland began, standing up from his seat, stretching "I think we should head home."

"Ah! You're right! It's already a quarter past six!" Leann exclaimed, standing from her seat. Shit, did she say it was a quarter past six?! I lost track of time! Mom will be home before me if I don't hurry!

"I'll walk you home." Orland said to Leann as he looked over toward Clara, "Uh, by the way, Clara?"

"Yeah?" she asked, I noticed that his face was slightly pink.

"Mom said that she wants to talk to you, whenever you can. Preferably sometime after the dance festival." Why did Ceci want to talk to Clara?

"Alright! I'll make it a point to talk to her." She exclaimed as Orland and Leann took their leave. Clara and I stood in front of the fountain of de Sainte-Coquille Park for a second as I looked over at her.

"Uh, shall I walk you home?" I really wanted to be alone with her so I could ask if she wanted to be an official public couple!

"Nah, I know how your mom gets if you arrive home after her. Which you should probably get going now if you wanna beat her home." She giggled. Shit, she's right! I'll have to ask her another time! I smiled at her, turning towards the west end of town.

"I'll see you tomorrow." I said in farewell.

"Later." She replied as I heard her footsteps leaving the opposite way.


I opened the front door of the house, stepping inside, placing my tote next to the coat rack by the front door. I walked inside more, passing grandpa's office. I was on my way to the stairs to head into my room when a voice stopped me.

"What the hell happened to you?" I looked inside of grandpa's office to dad in grandpa's office chair. He was probably working on a lesson plan of some sort.

"What do you mean?" I asked, dad blinked at me a few times as if I had grown an extra head.

"Well, for one, you're wet." He stated, I felt my face flush. Right, I forgot about that.

"Ah, you-you know? Typical teenage mischief." I replied as he gave his head an upward nod.

"Yeah, I remember those days. Anyway, you should go dry off and change before your mother comes home and has a panic attack of imagining the worst-case scenario of you getting a cold."

"R-right." I started up the stairs, going into my room. I undressed myself, grabbing the towel from next to my washbasin I began to dry myself off. I threw my old clothes and towel in the hamper, slipping on dry clothes. Just in time as I heard the click from the front door and mom's voice asking dad what she should make for dinner.


I cut into my grilled chicken, shoving the juicy, savory bite into my mouth.

"Uh, honey? What's that look for?" Dad asked as I looked over at mom's disgusted expression.

"What is that smell?" She asked in revolt as I furrowed my brows.

"You smell it too? I thought I was going crazy!" Grandpa exclaimed.

"Uh, what does it smell like?" I asked. I couldn't smell anything. Maybe I was going crazy?

"It smells like…fish." Mom stated as I blushed. Nope, I am not brave enough to tell her.

"Ah, in that case, you're smelling your son." Dad said nonchalantly as I felt myself go pale. Was dad trying to get me in some kind of a sterile bubble?!

"Leonel? Why do you smell like fish?" Mom asked as I opened my mouth to talk. I just squeaked. I couldn't find the courage to answer her.

"Typical teenage mischief, dear." Dad said.

"What does that mean?" Mom asked, causing dad to look at her in disbelief.

"Dorothy, dear, you've done weird and unexplained things as a teenager, we all have."

"I have not!" Mom exclaimed as dad stared at her for a moment.

"Do I need to remind you of the time you snuck out of the church when we were about sixteen or seventeen?" Dad asked as my eyes widened.

"No way! Mom? Mom snuck out?!" I asked in shock as I noticed her face was red.

"That-that was one time because I was really mad at my dad! P-plus you were out too, Barrett!"

"I snuck out all the time. You should've known that." Mom's face reddened deeper, it was silent for a few moments.

"I still appreciate that you sat with me though. Even if I didn't say anything." Mom said softly. I could sense dad becoming flustered.

"It's because I really liked you. Even though I didn't want to show it at the time." Dad reached across the table, grabbing mom's hand. I started to imagine this scenario with Clara and me, us looking at each other the way mom and dad look at each other.

"Alright, get a room, you two! And Leonel, you should hurry and finish your dinner and rush to the bathhouse." Grandpa said.

"Your grandpa's right, sweetie. You do stink. You don't want to go to school tomorrow morning smelling like that! I'm sure your aunt has something to get rid of that fish smell." Mom stated as I blushed.

"R-right." I said, thankful that mom seemed a bit more relaxed about the situation, or maybe it's because dad called her out on her teenage mishap? Either way, I'm glad she didn't pester me too much.